It arrived today! Pictures can't adequately convey how big and heavy this scope is in real life. Solid, solid, solid. All motions are very smooth and a quick look seems to indicate the optics survived the trip well! The attached pic is the Quantum 6 alongside my Q 3.5. The only thing I need to do is buff up the base a little and it'll be good to go!

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Looks good. Did you get a tripod and wedge? That finder looks like the same UO finder I replaced my original one with. I am now using a Stellar View 50mm finder because I can use different eyepieces with it.

Yes, it's the UO finder. It did come with the Optical Techiques wedge (nice) and the wooden cases to hold the fork and OTA. It did not come with a tripod. Right now I'll use the same heavy duty tripod that came with my CPC Edge HD 800. Fits really, really well. Looks good and beefy too. The weather might actually cooperate tonight. At least I hope so. I don't think I'll be buying anymore telescopes for quite a long time. This hobby gets expensive real fast and I need to put the brakes on.

I wrote a Q6 restoration document with pictures about 6 years ago. The parts are actually easy to replace and the ones that fail (belts, etc) are easy to find. The belts are just sewing machine belts. Larry Geary took that restoration to the next level after he purchased my first restored Q6. I also kept a database of several Q6 owners who can help with parts. I too have owned 3 Q6's, but find them to be quite heavy for the aperture at my age.

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The cases are made from Red Honduran Mahogany. Scuffs and scratches can be removed with 0000 steel wool. A red oil will maintain the finish. the Quantum cases are the best ever made for a telescope My Q6 survived at least three long truck rides with UPS with no problems. The cases protect the telescope very well.

Your cases are beautiful. I display my Q-4 on top of it's case like it's a piece of furiture. I used .0000 steel wool also on my case and it came out perfect, followed by "Old English Oil" wood cleaner conditioner.They also make a polish & scratch cover product, but I have not tried it.I use "Mothers Metal Cleaner" on the fork and base.

J.R. Cumberland Inc. Precision Optics(Cumberlandoptical.com)manufactured and coated all the Q6 optics. They also manufacture the Questar optics. If I were to have a need to re-coat the mirrors in my Q4 I would contact them. My Q4 mirror coatings are Enhanced Aluminium and show no signs of deterioration; nor did Terry Wood's Q6. I believe the OTI Maksutov's showing coating issues may be the Enhanced Silver coatings; these coatings are indicated with a G prefix to the serial number i.e. GHO XXXXXX. Enhanced Aluminum is pretty durable although salt air could be a problem. The biggest problem is not re-coating mirrors but re-collimation; as this was accomplished with fixtures during manufacture.Regards

Touch up paint for Quantum telescopes can be made using Testors Model Master Custom enamel system available in 1/2 Oz bottles at most hobby shops. I mixed Arctic Blue Metallic and Olds Engine Blue to match my Q4 tube color. My Q4 had several small paint flakes that this enamel paint blended with perfectly. You cannot tell the paint was ever retouched. The original color may have faded over time so it is important to match the color to what it currently is; not to the factory color. Regards

The original color may have faded over time so it is important to match the color to what it currently is; not to the factory color. Regards

And I think that is why the original Duplicolor Ford Midnight Blue T218 does not match even though it was the original color. When I get back home I will add a picture showing 2 parts I repainted and how close the match was.